Dessert Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Lizs Healthy Table

Peanut Butter Raisin Bars

BY Liz December 10, 2014 9 Comments

Add a dash of good health and cheer to your next cookie swap or holiday party with my better-for-you Peanut Butter Raisin Bars. They’re easy to make, delicious, and they’ll have your kids smiling from ear to ear.

I created this recipe for a blogger cooking competition sponsored by the Recipe Redux and the California Raisin Marketing Board. I was not compensated for the post, but prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, give my better-for-you PB raisin bars a try. You can feel great about treating your kids and your friends to these wholesome bars.

To keep the added sugar as low as possible, I used just over a cup of brown sugar. When you do the math, it turns out that each dessert bar has less than a tablespoon of brown sugar.

Oats, a handful of mini chocolate chips and roasted sunflower seeds, and plump California Raisins make up the dry ingredients in my holiday bars. This recipe couldn’t be easier! And if you’re wondering about those California Raisins, they’re dried-by-the-sun and are naturally sweet, which means they don’t contain any added sugar.

Peanut butter, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract go in next.

Dessert bars get a healthy holiday makeover! {NEW} #recipe for Peanut Butter Raisin Bars #ad

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Place the mixture in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, pop it in the oven for 18 minutes, and let the holiday fun begin!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Raisin Bars

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 24

Serving size: 1 bar
Calories: 210

Fat: 11g
Saturated fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Sugar: 13g
Sodium: 160mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 6g

Recipe type: Dessert

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These simple peanut butter bars are perfect for cookie swaps and holiday parties. They're rich in flavor, luscious in texture, and they're made with some of my favorite nutritious ingredients---peanut butter, raisins, sunflower seeds, eggs, and oats. This holiday goodie has less than a tablespoon of brown sugar per serving.

Ingredients

3½ cups quick-cooking oats (if following a gluten-free diet, look for GF oats)
½ cup California Raisins
⅓ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
⅓ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1¼ cups brown sugar
⅓ cup organic canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil or coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together the oats, raisins, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the peanut butter until the mixture is smooth. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until just moistened.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 20 to 30 minutes before slicing into 24 bars.

An InLinkz Link-up

Apple Pear Sauce

BY Liz September 29, 2014 16 Comments

Take the best-tasting autumn apples, combine them with juicy pears and what do you get? Apple pear sauce: a healthy, no-sugar-added applesauce snack (or dessert!) your kids will happily eat.

Juicy, crunchy, sour, or sweet, apples in autumn are the perfect family treat! Whether you bake them in a pie, slice them for a lunch box snack, or use them for this easy applesauce recipe, apples pack great nutrition into every delicious bite. One medium apple has just 95 calories and 4 grams of filling fiber, and now that they’re in season, the flavors are at their peak.

To show my love for apples, I use them in this simple stovetop applesauce recipe.

Apple Pear Sauce

Author: Liz

Recipe type: Dessert

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Most of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in apples is actually in the peel, so I leave the peels on for this simple, stovetop recipe. Once blended, the cooked peels virtually disappear. Sweet soft apples such as McIntosh and Gala work best in this naturally no-sugar-added applesauce, and their red peels add a nice rosy color.

Ingredients

3 large apples (about 1½ pounds), unpeeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 pear, unpeeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup 100% apple juice
Juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Place the apples, pear, apple juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a medium pot and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at a low boil, covered, until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let cool about 20 minutes.
Place the cooked fruit in a blender and blend until smooth and the peels are incorporated. (If you don’t have a blender and plan to mash the fruit with a fork or potato masher, you may want to slice off the peels first before cooking for a nice, smooth texture.)

Notes

Don’t have a ripe pear on hand? Not to worry! Add an extra apple instead or 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries.

Tell me about your favorite applesauce recipe!

Pumpkin Chia Pudding + Blog Brûlée

BY Liz September 18, 2014 13 Comments

Autumn is in the air, and after an action-packed weekend at the first annual Blog Brûlée healthy blogger retreat at Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont, I created this healthy and delicious, fall-inspired Pumpkin Chia Pudding recipe for you and your family.

(As invited speakers, our travel and lodging was paid for, and we received an honorarium.)

I’ll tell you more about this easy dessert recipe further down in the post. But for now, indulge me a bit as we share highlights from Blog Brûlée.

The theme of the weekend was “Setting Fire to Better Blogs,” and our small gathering of dietitian bloggers achieved that goal with the help of Blog Brûlée’s founders (left to right), Gretchen Brown from Kumquat, Deanna Segrave-Daly from Teaspoon of Spice, Robin Plotkin from RobinsBite, and Regan Jones, founder of Healthy Aperture … as well as a lineup of well seasoned speakers.

Speakers and Topics:

Food Photography Basics, Food Styling, and Post Processing with Gretchen Brown and Regan Jones {The post-processing information presented reminded us to focus more of our editing attention on tweaking exposure}

iPhoneography with Deanna Segrave-Daly {Who knew Snapseed, a smart phone photography app, could do SO much}

The Art of Online Storytelling with Brierley Wright from Eating Well Magazine and Robin Plotkin {A great reminder that an event like Blog Brûlée could lead to multiple stories and blog posts … and a double reminder to maintain an editorial blogging calendar}

Defining and Delivering SEO with Carolyn Ketchum from All Day I Dream About Food {Aunty Em, we’re frightened, but we’re already implementing Carolyn’s tips and reading The Beginners Guide to SEO on Moz.com}

Building Your Virtual Community with EA Stewart, The Spicy RD {We need to (a) get comfy with Google+ and (b) not focus all of our efforts on commenting on others’ blogs, but rather, share others’ content. Show the LOVE}

Branding in the Blogosphere and Beyond with Liz Weiss (that’s me!). I talked about the ingredients needed for a successful brand: Authentic, Reliable, Responsive, Engaging, Evolving.

Show Me the Money: Monetizing Your Brand with Anne Mauney from fannetasticfood {I’m working on my Media Kit as we speak, and I’m using Power Point per Anne’s suggestion!}

The retreat was held at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Vermont where the service was topnotch. Groups of three were assigned to cozy condos complete with fireplaces, well-stocked refrigerators (more on Liz’s foray into microwaved eggs with roommates Meme and Min in a future post), and gorgeous views. Returning back to reality in MA got me thinking more about my editorial calendar—formerly somewhat loosey goosey but presently more definitive!—as well as the first story I wanted to “tell” post Blog Brûlée.

Coming up with my first story was actually quite easy thanks to our Saturday afternoon field trip to the picturesque Boyden Valley Winery. I was drawn to these just-picked pumpkins perched on an antique wagon, while at the same time, jarred by the realization that our warm and sunny New England summer was over and autumn was in full swing. So a recipe featuring pumpkin became the obvious topic for this first post.

This week I got cooking with a pudding makeover made with canned pumpkin, organic soymilk, maple syrup, and chia seeds as well a few other goodies from my Swag Bag …

… Lake Champlain Chocolate, Vermont maple syrup, and Fat Toad Farm caramel.

Pumpkin Chia Pudding + Blog Brûlée

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 2

Serving size: ½ cup
Calories: 190

Fat: 9g
Saturated fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 24g
Sodium: 180mg
Fiber: 11g
Protein: 8g

Recipe type: Dessert

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This recipe was easy to make and packed with kid appeal AND great nutrition. Your kids can make it with you in minutes by placing the ingredients in a Mason jar and giving it a shake, shake, shake!

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla soymilk
⅓ cup canned 100% pure pumpkin
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch salt

Instructions

Place the soy milk, pumpkin, chia seeds, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a 16-ounce wide-mouth pint-size Mason jar (or any other jar you have in your kitchen), shake vigorously, and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours to overnight.
Serve with any number of optional toppers including: caramel, shaved chocolate, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or your favorite fruit.

Notes

120% vitamin A, 30% calcium, 10% iron per serving

Every blogger at the retreat brought something to the table. We learned from one another, became instant pals, and left the weekend with a commitment to nurture and support one another. Pictured here are a few of our new friends; we’ll tell you more about the group in our follow-up posts.

{Bottom row from left to right: Julie Harrington, RD from RDelicious Kitchen, Anne Mauney, RD from fannetasticfood, Rachael Hartley, RD from An Avocado a Day, and Kara Lydon, RD from The Foodie Dietitian}

{Top row from left to right: Holly Larson, RD, Grass Roots Nutrition, Meme Inge, RD from Living Well Kitchen, Min Kwon, RD from The Adventures of MJ and Hungry Man, Marisa Moore, RD from Marisa Moore Nutrition, Ashley Galloway, RD from The Fresh Beet, Jen Haugen, RD from Down to Earth Dietitian, and Ann Dunaway Teh, RD from Dunaway Dietetics.

Writer’s cramp has set in, so we’ll have to sign off soon. But stay tuned for a few more Blog Brûlée posts including foraging for Concord Grapes with Casey Lewis, the dietitian from Welch’s (an event sponsor), one of Janice’s favorite activities from the weekend—a wine and cheese tasting with Cabot cheese at Boyden Valley Winery—and Liz’s first experience cooking eggs in the microwave (microwaves hadn’t been invented when she was in college).

For more information on the conference sponsors, visit the Blog Brûlée website.

Here are the Blog Brûlée blog posts from fellow speakers and nutrition bloggers.

Blog Brûlée Recap by Anne at Fannetastic Food

Blog Brûlée + Clean Eating Recipe RoundUp by Danielle Omar at Food Confidence

Blog Brûlée: What I Learned & What I Ate by Kara at the Foodie Dietitian

Mindful Eating: What’s Chocolate Got to Do with it? by Diane Boyd at Cape Fear Nutrition

Best Blogging Conference: Why Families Belong in the Kitchen Together by Jen Haugen, Down to Earth Dietitian

Blog Brûlée: Soaking it All In by Julie Harrington at RDelicious Kitchen

Blog Brûlée Recap (AKA The Most Epic Blogger Sleepover Ever) by Kylie at Immaeatthat

Blog Brûlée Recap & Grilled Cheese Recipe Round Up by Min Kwon of MJ & Hungryman

Blog Brûlée: Quick Recap by Marisa Moore at Marisa Moore Nutrition

Autumn Chopped Salad with Apples, Fennel, Cheddar Cheese, Macadamia Nuts and Apple Maple Vinaigrette by EA Stewart at The Spicy RD

Blog Brulee + Weekly Eats by Kristina Larue at Love & Zest

Making Your Dreams Come True: One Simple Lesson from Blog Brulee by Regan Jones at Healthy Aperture

Wild Blueberry Oat Cake + How to Make Greek Yogurt Frosting

BY Liz January 11, 2014 16 Comments

This wild blueberry cake is made with whole grain oats and a homemade Greek yogurt frosting that’s a lot healthier than traditional cream cheese frosting.

Learn how to make Greek yogurt frosting. It’s a whole lot healthier than cream cheese frosting and tastes just as good … if not better!

I love cake and my kids love it too, and since my boys are teenagers, they can eat A LOT of cake in one sitting without thinking twice. That’s why I often find myself dreaming up new ways to make cake better. By better I mean lighter in fat and calories, more substantial in terms of good nutrition, and of course, brimming with great flavor. Did I meet all of those meal makeover goals with my new recipe for Blueberry Oat Cake with Greek Yogurt Frosting? Absolutely!

I created this wild blueberry cake for a cooking contest hosted by the Recipe Redux and sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America. (By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.)

The inspiration for this cake came from one of our Facebook fans who asked us to give her family’s favorite Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Topping a healthy makeover. The original recipe called for nearly three cups of sugar, 3/4 cup butter, and white flour. I liked the concept with all the oats but knew I could make it better. To that end, I cut the sugar to just 2/3 cup, replaced the butter with a healthier oil, created an amazing frosting with 0%-fat Greek yogurt, and added a nutritional boost with frozen wild blueberries.

Old fashioned oat cake gets a healthy makeover with whole grain oats and wild blueberries #spon

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There were no blueberries in the original recipe, but the cake was screaming for a naturally sweet ingredient that could replace some of the sugar. Wild blueberries fit the bill. Did you know they are more nutritious than the larger, cultivated variety? They are also rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, and an excellent source of manganese, a mineral important for strong bones. Wild blueberries are available year round in the freezer section of the supermarket.

Instead of making the sugary frosting called for in the recipe or using cream cheese, I created a super-healthy frosting with 0%-fat vanilla Greek yogurt. I got the idea for the Greek yogurt frosting from Regan Miller Jones of Healthy Aperture.

Here’s how to make a healthy Greek Yogurt Frosting:

Place a coffee filter inside a sieve ( I have small filters, so I split two of them in half). Spread the Greek yogurt evenly over the filter, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to make your frosting, pour off the drained whey and reserve it for later use such as adding to smoothies (I had about half a cup), scrape the yogurt from the filter, place the yogurt in a clean bowl and then, in the case of my recipe, stir in chopped pecans, flaked, unsweetened coconut, and just 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.

Move over cream cheese! Learn how to make Greek #yogurt frosting instead. #Healthy #Dessert

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Wild Blueberry Oat Cake

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 16

Serving size: 1 slice
Calories: 190

Fat: 11g
Saturated fat: 1.5g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Sodium: 190mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 5g

Recipe type: Dessert

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This cake is so healthy, you can serve it as a snack or a dessert ... and even at breakfast. With the addition of oats, whole wheat flour, canola oil, wild blueberries, and a Greek yogurt frosting, it brings plenty of fiber and nutrition to the table. To make the yogurt frosting, you'll need to drain the Greek yogurt overnight. So plan ahead for this step!

Ingredients

1¼ cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup boiling water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ cup expeller pressed canola oil
3 large eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups wild blueberries
2 cups 0%-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon powdered sugar or granulated sugar, optional

Instructions

Place the oats and boiling water in a bowl and stir to combine. Let stand 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly oil or coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and canola oil in a large bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until well blended. Slowly beat in the soaked oats until combined. Add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and beat until just combined. Stir in the wild blueberries.
Arrange the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
To make the frosting, you'll need to start the process the day before you frost your cake. Place a coffee filter inside a medium-size sieve ( I have small filters, so I split two of them in half). Spread the Greek yogurt evenly over the filter, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight. Place the sieve over a bowl. When you're ready to make your frosting, pour off and reserve the drained whey and use later in smoothies, etc (I had about half a cup), scrape the yogurt from the coffee filter, place the yogurt in a clean bowl, and stir in the chopped pecans, flaked, unsweetened coconut, and the remaining tablespoon of sugar as desired.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve. (Best if stored in the refrigerator.)

Chocolate Almond Cookies – a DIY Cookie Mix

BY Liz November 21, 2013 2 Comments

All year long I show you, my readers, lots of love by sharing nutritious, better-for-you recipes your families will love. Now that the holiday season is upon us, I’m giving everyone in the Liz’s Healthy Table universe that same opportunity with this “healthy” homemade Chocolate Almond Cookie mix that you’re welcome to gift to your family and friends.

Cookies don’t always have a stellar nutrition reputation. Case in point: During a recent web surf, I found a chocolate cookie recipe from a popular Food Network star (hint: she wears cowboy boots) with nearly 380 calories and a whopping 10 grams of saturated fat per cookie. Those two sticks of butter will get ya every time! Anyway, back to our better-for-you cookie …

DIY mix – Healthy Holiday Chocolate Almond Cookies #dessert #StockingStuffer

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For this month’s Recipe Redux, I was challenged with adding merriment and good health to mixes. From hostess gifts to holiday gifts, my fearless Redux leaders asked me to come up with shelf-stable, DIY gifts from my kitchen, so I decided to show my love with a cookie recipe made with whole wheat flour, almonds, unsweetened cocoa powder, and other wholesome ingredients. And I put a little Martha-style magic into the mix by layering the dry ingredients in a Ball Jar and adorning it with a shiny golden ribbon!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Almond Cookies

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 36

Serving size: 1 cookie
Calories: 110

Fat: 5g
Saturated fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Sodium: 75mg
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g

Recipe type: Dessert

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If you're looking for a creative gift idea for a friend, family member, teacher, or why not, the mailman, try this festive cookie mix. Simply layer the first six dry ingredients in a Mason jar and place in a gift bag along with the printed recipe. Feel free to toss in some fun kitchen gadgets while you're at it: a spatula, Silpat baking mats, decorating sugars and sprinkles. You get the drift! The bottom line: You can feel good about giving these cookies ... or receiving them.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup almonds, very finely chopped, or 1 cup almond meal
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar (or 1 cup packed brown sugar)
⅔ cup organic canola oil
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together the contents of the jar---all-purpose flour, almonds, whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt---in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine the sugar and oil in another large bowl and beat on medium speed until moistened and combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
At low speed, gradually beat in the flour/almond mixture until just combined.
Pour the sugar onto a plate. Roll the dough into 1¼-inch balls and coat evenly with the sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 1-inch space in between. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake about 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies + Tart Cherry Nutrition

BY Liz July 29, 2013 Leave a Comment

Traditional, butter-drenched chocolate chip cookies get a super-healthy makeover with these Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. They’re made with dried tart cherries, oats, pecans, and other good-for-you ingredients and they pair up perfectly with a glass of low-fat milk!

I recently returned from Traverse City, MI for the tart cherry harvest. I was invited by the Cherry Marketing Institute to join them for the Cherry Harvest in Northern Michigan. They paid for my travel, but all opinions on this blog are solely my own. Everyone in the group was sent home with a bunch of goodies including dried Montmorency cherries. So I decided to use them in this new better-for-you cookie.

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies for a better-for-you dessert! Made w/ Tart Cherries #ad

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Nearly 100% of the tart cherries grown in Michigan are pitted and then frozen or turned into dried cherries or juice. Dried cherries can be eaten out of hand as a snack, added to trail mix, used in cookies and other baked goods, sprinkled over salads, used in salsas, and lots more …

A half cup of dried tart cherries has 200 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and an impressive 45% vitamin A.

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 24

Serving size: 1 cookie
Calories: 170

Saturated fat: 1g
Trans fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Sodium: 80mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 3g

Recipe type: Dessert

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Kids love cookies, but like any sweet treat, it's best to not go overboard. I'm happy to report that you can feel good about giving your kids these cookies. Made with whole grains---oats, wheat germ, and whole wheat flour---and other nutritious ingredients like dried cherries, pecans, and eggs, they're an AOK addition to the cookie jar!

Ingredients

2 cups quick-cooking oats
¾ cup pecans, finely or roughly chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup expeller pressed canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup dried tart cherries
⅓ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil and then lightly oil or coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Whisk together the oats, pecans, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until just moistened. Mix in the cherries and the chocolate chips.
Working in batches, scoop the batter by rounded tablespoon and place on the prepared baking sheets. Wash your hands (it will be easier to work with the batter), and then flatten slightly with the heel of your hand, forming 2¼ to 2½-inch cookies. Leave about 1 inch between each cookie.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

Indulging on cherry pie with my friend and fellow dietitian, Janet Helm at Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, MI.

I’m not much of a pie maker; cookies are definitely more my culinary speed 🙂

Read about my trip to the tart cherry harvest.

Watermelon Pomegranate Pops

BY Liz June 2, 2013 Leave a Comment

These frozen fruit pops are made simply with just two ingredients—watermelon and 100% fruit juice—and no added sugars or artificial colors.

Why buy frozen Popsicles when you can make them from scratch instead.

Late last week, I got a call from NECN, a local TV station here in the Boston area, asking me to come in and record a segment on what to eat and drink on hot days to keep you cool. After several days of 90-plus degree weather, the segment was timely to say the least.

Give sugary frozen pops a healthy makeover w/ these Watermelon Pomegranate Pops #kids #nutrition

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During the “live” segment, I gave four tips including this one: Make Homemade Frozen Fruit Pops to stay hydrated and to cool down. Making your own pops avoids the excess sugar found in many store-bought brands … and the artificial colors.

Watermelon Pomegranate Pops

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4

Serving size: 1 Pop
Calories: 30

Fat: 0g
Saturated fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 9g
Sodium: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 0g

Recipe type: Dessert

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Any 100% fruit juice and any fruit can easily be blended together and then frozen for refreshing pops. You can always add some Greek yogurt for protein and calcium.

Ingredients

1½ cups cubed seedless watermelon
½ cup 100% Pomegranate blueberry juice *
* I like Minute Maid Enhanced Pomegranate Blueberry juice. If you can't find it, look for 100% pomegranate juice (I use POM Wonderful) would work just fine as would apple juice.

Instructions

Combine the watermelon and juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into four 3-ounce ice pop molds and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. To remove the pops from the molds, run under warm water to loosen.
If you don’t have ice pop molds, divide the liquid between four paper cups. Cover each cup with foil, insert one craft stick through the center of each foil, and freeze.

Notes

You'll get 15% vitamin C in every frozen pop.

Other ways to keep cool when the mercury rises …

Drink a Lot of Water! If water doesn’t float your boat, flavor it naturally with slices of cucumber, oranges or other citrus, strawberries, and mint to break from the boredom.

Go Heavy on Fruits and Veggies. Produce contains a lot of water, it’s easy to digest, and when you freeze it, you get the added cooling effect. I love frozen grapes (thaw them out for a few minutes so they’re just easy enough to bite into), blueberries, and even peas.

And my final tip, Eat Spicy Foods like chili peppers. Capsaicin, the natural chemical in spicy foods that makes them hot, helps to cool you down. Capsaicin revs up blood circulation, which brings more blood from the core of the body to the skin’s surface. And it dilates capillaries in the skin. The net result is that it makes you sweat, which helps to regulate body temperature. When you perspire, the moisture on your skin evaporates, and when it evaporates into the air, it brings some of your body heat with it. To feel the effects even more, stand in front of a fan.

Apple, Rhubarb and Berry Crisp

BY Liz May 24, 2013 2 Comments

What do you make when you’ve been asked to bring dessert to a holiday cookout or gathering? If you own a copy of No Whine with Dinner, consider my recipe for Nutty Apple Crisp. It’s made with apples and blueberries and an oat-based crust. Or, if you happen to have rhubarb growing in your garden or recently discovered some at your local market, try my new crisp makeover made with apples, blueberries, strawberries, and rhubarb!

A Pink Lady apple, fresh rhubarb, blueberries, and strawberries come together naturally for my simple fruit crisp. By the way, your kids are going to love this recipe (well, at least, mine do)!

Apple, Rhubarb and Berry Crisp for a healthy fruit-based #dessert #oats #pecans

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Several times a week I stop by Wilson Farm (in Lexington, MA) for their gorgeous produce or one of their wholesome take-out items, and just this week, I discovered their “own” rhubarb. I immediately grabbed some and got to work on a new recipe. The farm is walking distance from my house, and I’m so lucky to have it in my neighborhood. Wilson’s has been growing, as they say, since 1884, and I hope they’re around for a few more centuries.

Here’s what the crisp looks like before it gets topped …

And here’s what it looks like when the topping is layered over the fruit.

Getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies (did you know rhubarb is technically a vegetable?) is easy with this recipe for Apple, Rhubarb & Berry Crisp. I limit the amount of sugar to just 1/3 cup in the filling and 2 tablespoons in the topping. You can increase the brown sugar a bit if you prefer a slightly sweeter crisp. Rhubarb has a mouth-puckering, tart flavor, so you’ll need some sweetness added for sure.

Apple, Rhubarb and Berry Crisp

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6

Calories: 270

Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Sodium: 5mg
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 4g

Recipe type: Dessert

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Rhubarb is low in calories, contains antioxidants (all veggies do), and interestingly, the red stalks have more vitamin A than the green. The combo of three fruits---apples, strawberries, blueberries---and one veggie---rhubarb---comes together beautifully for this warm-weather dessert. The crisp topping is just as wholesome, made with oats, pecans, and pumpkin seeds or ground flaxseed. I served the crisp with "creamy" low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt versus the usual high fat ice cream or whipped cream. To make this recipe gluten free, use GF oats and flaxseed.

Ingredients

8 ounces rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces strawberries, quartered (you can cut smaller berries in half)
1 cup blueberries
1 large Pink Lady apple (or any other sweet, firm apple), cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
¾ cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup roughly chopped pecans
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or ground flaxseed
A few pinches kosher salt
3 tablespoons mild flavored vegetable oil (or EVOO)
Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, and apples in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Add ¼ cup of the brown sugar, cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon and stir gently until the fruit is evenly coated.
Place the fruit mixture in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish and set aside.
To make the topping, place the oats, pecans, the remaining brown sugar, pumpkin seeds, the remaining cinnamon, and kosher salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil and stir until the oat mixture is well coated. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit mixture.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden brown. (Cover with foil about halfway through to prevent the topping from browning too quickly.) Serve with vanilla Greek yogurt as desired.

I’m a pushover for pretty dishes, and this Juliska bowl really makes my day! I’m not sure my kids appreciated eating out of it, but for me, it made the crisp that much sweeter 🙂

On a final note, Wilson Farm is now carrying my cookbook, No Whine with Dinner. Here it is, as of today, in the farm’s new cookbook section! Stop by the farm if you’re ever in the area, and have an awesome Memorial Day Weekend!

Super Strawberry Pudding – Homemade and Healthy

BY Liz February 13, 2013 Leave a Comment

Homemade strawberry pudding gets a healthy makeover with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries, and Greek yogurt.

After a weekend of shoveling and digging out from under 27 inches of snow (thank you Nemo), my kids were more than happy to dig into our latest recipe for Super Strawberry Pudding.

Strawberry pudding gets a healthy makeover for #ValentinesDay #milk #yogurt #strawberries

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My homemade pudding calls for frozen strawberries, Greek yogurt, and low-fat milk, and with a sliced strawberry on top, it’s the perfect treat for the valentines in your life.

Super Strawberry Pudding

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6

Serving size: ½ cup
Calories: 90

Carbohydrates: 19g
Sodium: 75mg
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g

Recipe type: Dessert

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Why turn to store-bought pudding when you can make it from scratch in a matter of minutes? This recipe is so simple that the kids can easily help.

Ingredients

1 cup 1% low-fat milk
8 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed (about 1½ cups)
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup 0%-fat strawberry Greek yogurt
Chocolate shavings, optional
Sliced strawberries, optional

Instructions

Place the milk and strawberries in a blender, and blend until completely pureed. Set aside.
Place the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-size saucepan and whisk until combined. Gradually whisk in the milk/strawberry mixture. Add the vanilla extract.
Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Continue stirring gently to break up any bubbles that may have appeared on the top. Spoon the mixture into 6 individual bowls and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Garnish with shaved chocolate and berries as desired.

Notes

25% vitamin C, 8% calcium per serving

My Instagram obsession continues. I used it to give this photo an old-fashioned flare. If you’re on Instagram, click here to follow Liz.

Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow. After Nemo, it was a winter wonderland. The photo on the left shows what the roads looked like before the plows came through. Snowshoes anyone?

Better Blueberry Buckle + Mohonk Mountain House Family Reunion

BY Liz September 10, 2012 Leave a Comment

Visiting the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York is like taking a step back in time. My family has been going there for the past six summers — though my first trip to Mohonk took place when I was just a wee lass of eight. On our most recent trip last month, we were warmly welcomed with a jar of homemade raspberry jam and a recipe for Mohonk Mountain House’s Heirloom Berry Buckle. Needless to say, I immediately noticed that their buckle called for A LOT of sugar and butter. Please don’t think I’m putting them down, but after the long weekend, I couldn’t help but try my hand at my own version of a buckle.

A buckle or crumble is defined as a type of cake made in a single layer with berries added to the batter. It is usually made with blueberries. The topping is similar to a streusel, which gives it a buckled or crumpled appearance. (Source: What’s Cooking America.)

Better Blueberry Buckle

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8

Serving size: 1 slice
Calories: 280

Fat: 11g
Saturated fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 40g
Sodium: 200mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 5g

Recipe type: Dessert

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For the batter I added some whole wheat pastry flour and ground flaxseed for more fiber and nutrients, and I gave butter the boot in favor of heart-healthy canola oil. I used an Eggland's Best egg for extra omega-3, vitamin D, and vitamin E and kept the sugar to just half a cup. For flavor and texture, I used vanilla yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. As for the topping, once again, I swapped the butter for canola, and I turned to oats for crunch.

Ingredients

Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup expeller pressed canola oil
½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
¼ cup 1% low-fat milk
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1¼ cups blueberries

For the Topping

¼ cup old fashioned or quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon expeller pressed canola oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil or coat a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and the canola oil until well blended. Whisk in the yogurt, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the blueberries. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
To make the topping, place the oats, brown sugar, flaxseed, and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil and stir until the oat mixture is well coated. Spread the topping evenly over the batter.
Bake about 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Cover lightly with foil about halfway through if the topping browns too quickly.) Transfer to a wire rack and cool, or serve while still warm.

Notes

If you don't have blueberries, you can use raspberries instead (same amount).

There are endless fitness opportunities at Mononk. During my hike to the look-out tower, I looked down and saw my boys swimming across the lake with a group of other guests.

Simon and Josh are OBSESSED with fishing and spend most of their time at Mohonk at the “secret spot.” This year, they caught a bunch of rainbow trout, and one unlucky fish ended up on our dinner table. The chef at Mohonk was kind enough to create this gorgeous dish of rainbow trout with roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, and Kalamata olives. My dad felt bad eating the fish since it had led a happy life, but knowing that the lake is stocked, the rest of us enjoyed the meal without too much guilt.

My mom and dad have been married for 57 years and they’re still going strong!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Orange Sunglasses! In the photo: my sister Marian, my niece Andrea, my mom, me, and my sister Amy.

Mohonk is a magical place filled with activities to suite anyone’s fitness level, food preferences, or state of mind. From strolling through the gardens and feasting outside at the Granary to reading a book on the grand front porch to yoga, it’s a place where extended families can gather to enjoy quality time together. I’m already counting the days until next summer 🙂

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